Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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1 Field of the Invention:
An inductively coupled lock with a key providing
pulse sequences to the lock which respond to a specific
pulse sequence and derives power to open the lock from the
key.
Description of the Prior Art:
Electronic lock systems are well known in the
prior art. These take various forms. Generally, the key or
a coded device is placed within an aperture in the lock
portion of the system. The lock is designed to then discriminate
against all but a predetermined code. In the specific case
of electronic locks, the key is encoded in any number of ways.
Some prior art encoding techniques include the provision of
punched holes which correspond to electrical probes within the
lock. Conductive strips are also utilized, which complete
the electrical circuit with the lock. Other methods include
an electromagnetic code on the key which is discerned by
~' cooperating circuitry within the lock.
One type of electronic lock system known~in the
prior art has a key comprising a coil or ferite rod and tne
lock has a corresponding coil. ~'hen the key is placed in
close proximity to the lock a resident circuit within the
lock itself is completed causing the lock to open.
These systems are complex and can be costly to -
construct and maintain. The advantages of electronic locks
are many and well known. However, there are certain
disadvantages in the presently known electronic lock systems.
First, the electronic lock requires a source of
electricity. A number of present art locks have the power
source within the lock portion of the system. This is
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1 frequently inconvenient and impractical for certain applications
where the lock itself is inaccessible to a power source.
Many presently known electronic lock systems are
generally designed to have a large number of replaceable or
recodeable keys capable of fitting a relatively small number
of locks. These locks have the sophisticated mechanisms
contained within them along with a power source. This is
inconvenient and impractical in cases where one key can fit
many locks and the locks themselves are subject to severe
abuse and located in places inaccessible to a power supply.
Another problem commonly associated with electronic
systems is that the receiving aperture in the lock for the key
is subject to tampering. The insertion of foreign material ; -
j into the receiving aperture of a sophisticated electronic lock ~ _
' could severely damage or destroy many conventional electronic
locks by fouling contact or destroying electromagnetic sensors.
Any lock used in a public place is subject to such destructive
tampering.
Therefore, in view of the many problems existing
~, 20 in the lock industry, it can be seen that there is a need
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for an electronic lock system wherein the lock part is
simple to construct, requires no built in power source, and
is relatively tamperproof. The key part of such a desirable
system could contain the power source for lock operation and
be capable of opening the lock without being inserted in an -
apertura of the lock. ~
SummarY of the Invention: -
The present invention comprises an inductively
coupled binary lock system ~rherein the key transmits a
series of binary pulses to the lock. The lock, on receiving
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1 a predetermined sequence of pulses, will open the locking bolt.
The key comprises a variable frequency clock or
timing device which inputs pulses to a variable pulse width
generator. These pulses are output to one side of a logic
; circuit and to a coded sequence generator. The coded sequence
generator comprises an inverter and plurality of division
circuits which are switchably connected. Outputs from the
` coded sequence generator are input to the logic circuit.
The output of the logic circuit is amplified and input to an
inductor. The inductor is located in the key in such a
manner that it may be placed in close proximity to a receiving
inductor in the lock. ~t
The lock unit comprises a receiving inductor,
diodes connected to the inductor to generate DC power for
the lock drive motor circuit, and the lock logic circuit.
Signals from the receiving inductor are input to the lock
logic circuit. If the preselected sequence of pulses is received,
the logic circuitry passes to the lock drive motor causing it to
-~ run in one direction opening the lock lugs. However, if the
logic circuitry detects a sequence of pulses which is not the
preselected sequence, the signals to the lock drive motor cause the
,r; motor to run in the other direction keeping the lock closed. -
It can be seen that the lock comprises a key which
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transmits signals and power to the lock. The lock, upon
, receiving a preselected sequence of pulses opens. However, ~ -
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if the wrong sequence of pulses is received, the lock remains
~; closed.
There is no specific need for an aperture for the
;~ primary operation of the lock system, wherein such aperture
. 30 can be damaged by attempts to defect the lock. In the
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1 preferred embodiment there is no internal power supply in
the lock itself so that location of the lock away from a
power source is of no concern. The lock is of relatively
simple construction and thus many locks can be built for operation
by a single key.
The invention accordingly comprises the features of
construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts
which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter
set forth and the scope of the invention will be indicated in
the claims.
Brief Description of the Drawings:
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For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects
of the invention, reference should be had to the following
~' detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying
drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of the key and
the lock interrelated together to operate the locking mechanism;
Figure 2 is a circuit diagram of a component of the
key;
' 20 Figure 3 details pulse configurations at various
points in the circuit shown in Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the electronic
circuitry contained within the lock; ~
} Figure 5 is a diagram of pulses at various points ,
, within the circuitry of Figure 4.
,3 Similar reference characters refer to similar parts
~` throughout the several views of the drawings.
Detailed Description:
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The electronic lock system of the present invention
, 30 is shown in Figure 1 and generally represented as 10. Key
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1 means 12 is shown in operating position with relation to lock
means 14.
Key means 12, in Figure 1 is shown containing power
supply means 16, electronics package means 18 and key inductor
means 20. Preferably, power supply 16 may comprise a dry
cell battery element or other appropriate DC power source.
Switch means 40 on key means 12 is used to open or close the
lock. The lock means generally indicated as 14 is shown
comprising outer casing means 24 and 25. Internal to the
casing means 24 and 25 is lock inductor means 22, motor
means 26, gear means 28 and cam means 30. Motor means 26,
gear means 28, and cam means 30 are connected to casing
means 24 and 25 by appropriately configured bracket 27 or
applicable connector means. -
It should be noted that, in the preferred embodiment,
` casing means portion 24 should be formed from a material ~-
`~ which is essentially non-magnetic. Plastics and certain
stainless steels having low magnetic properties are preferable.
However, if other materials are used for the casing portion, --
` 20 such material should have a poor electrical conductance in
order to minimize eddy current losses.
Figure 2 is a circuit diagram of the electronics
package 18 and inductive coil means 20 incorporated in key ~ -
means 12. The electronic package includes clock means 32
generating clock pulses to variable pulse width generator
means 34. Output from variable pulse width generator means
34 is split, part going to logic means 44 and 46 and part
going to inverter means 36. In the present embodiment,
logic means 44 and 46 are AND gates, however, any suitable
logic means is appropriate. The output from inverter means
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1 36 is input to a first division means 38 and to switch means
40. The first device means 38 in the present embodiment is
divided by two circuits. However, any appropriate division
means will suffice.
In the preferred embodiment, one output from division
means 38,preferably the inverted output,is input to one side of
switch means 40. Switch means 40 permits the selection of the
output directly from inverter means 36 or the output from division
means 38 to be input to a second division means 42. In the
preferred embodiment, division means 42 is also a divide by two
circuits. However, as $et forth above with regard to the first
division means, any appropriate division circuitry will suffice.
The outputs from second division means 42, one
inverted and one uninverted, are input to logic means 44 and
46. The outputs from logic means 44 and 46 are input to
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s amplifier means 48. In the preferred embodiment, amplifier
means 48 comprises a two transistor amplifier, amplifying
the signal from logic means 44 and 46 and inputting the signal -~
to the coil means 20. Power to drive the transistors and the
logic in electronics package 18 is derived from power source means
16. It can be seen from Figure 2 that switch means 40 allows
~- the selection of one or both of the division means 38 and 42.
The circuitry for lock means 14 is shown generally ~-
in Figure 4. Inductive coil means 22 receives the signals as --
transmitted by key means 12. Capacitor means 60 is inserted to
provide sufficient resonance to coil 22 while at the same time
smoothing the transmitted signals. The signals received by
, inductor coil means 22 are input to first and second diode
means 62 and 64 to generate a DC supply and fed through
30 conductor means 71 to power amplifier circuit means 86 and 88.
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1 The signals from inductor means 22 are also input to third and
fourth diode means 66 and 68 and thence input through RC
filter 69 into conductor means 70 where the DC power is used to
supply the logic circuitry of the lock means.
Finally, signals received by inductor means 22 are
input into the logic circuitry of lock means 14. The input
from one side of coil means 22 is fed to flip-flop means 72, and
the~signal from the other side of coil means 22 is fed to flip-
flop means 74. The output from flip-flop means 72 is input~to
flip-flop means 74 and the output from flip-flop means 74 is
input to fifth diode means 76. The output from fifth diode means
76 is input to detector means 78, herein comprising the diode
capacitor and resistor. The output from detector means 78 is
input to inverter means 80. The output from inverter means 80
is input to amplifier circuit means 86 and to inverter means 82.
The output from inverter means 82 is input to amplifier circuitry
` means 88. Amplifier circuitry means 86 and 88 are, in the '
preferred embodiment, transistorized amplifiers. The output from -
amplifier circuitry means 86 and 88 is connected to motor means 26. ~-
Figures 3 and 5 depict pulse structure at various ~ -
points within the circuitry of key means 12 and lock means 14,
respectively. The pulses shown in Figure 3(a) are the output
i of variable pulse width generator means 34. The pulses shown
in Figure 3(b) are the output of inverter means 36. It is seen
that the pulses as shown in Figure 3(a) are input to one side of
both AND gate means 44 and 46. The inverted signals shown in ;-
Figure 3(b) are input to switch means 40 and division circuitry
means 38. Figures 3(c) and 3(d) are the pulse structure of the
output of division means 42 with switch means 40 positioned to by-
pass division means 38. Figures 3(e) and 3(f) detail the output
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1 of AND gates 44 and 46 with switch means 40 in the position as
described above. When switch means 40 is positioned such that the
output of division means 38 is input to division means 42, the
output pulses from division means 42 are shown in Figures 3(g)
and 3(h). The output from AND gate means 44 and 46 with
switch means 40 positioned such that the output from division
means 38 is input to division means 42, are shown in Figures
3(i) and (j). These pulses are amplified by amplifier means 48
and input to transmitter coil means 20.
~ Figure 5 details various pulse configurations at -
` specific points in the lock circuitry. Figure 5(a) are the
pulses received at the counter-inputs of flip-flop means 72
and 74 when switch means 40 is positioned such as to transmit
the signal as shown in Figure 3(e). With switch 40 in this
' position, the pulse received at the reset input of flip-flop
means 72 and 74 is shown in Figure 5(b). Figure 5(c) shows the -
pulse output from flip-flop means 72 which is input to flip-
: flop means 74 when switch means 40 is in the position as
detailed above. Figures 5(dJ and 5(e) show the output from
,~ 20 flip-flop means 74 and detector means 78 when switch means 40 is
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positioned to by-pass division means 38. ~hen swltch means 40 ;
is positioned such that the output from division means 38 is
input to division means 42 the pulse input to the counter-input
` of flip-flop means 72 and 74 is detailed in Figure 5(f). The
reset pulses input to flip-flop means 72 and flip-flop means 74 ~-
~i is shown in Figure 5(g). It is thus seen that the counter -
increments an additional count in this position of switch 40.
, Figures 5(h) and 5(i) show the inputs of flip-flop means 72 and 74
re~pectively when switch means 40 is positioned to couple the
divi8ion circuits. Figure 5(j) shows the output of detector
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1 circuit means 78.
It can thus be seen that when Xey means 12 is
positioned in communication with lock means 14 a signal is
transmitted from key means 12 to lock means 14. When switch means
40 is positioned to by-pass first division means 38 the pulse
configuration received by lock means 14 powers motor means 26
and the logic circuitry. The logic circuitry detects the pulses
and causes motor means 26 to turn in one direction. When motor
means 26 is rotating in this direction the lock remains closed.
However, when switch means 40 is set such that first division
means 38 is included in the transmitter circuitry, the pulses ,~
received by lock means 14 again power the motor and the logic
circuitry. But in this case, the logic circuitry generates a signal
which causes motor means 26 to rotate in the opposite direction
from the previous case. When motor means 26 is rotating in this
direction, the lock is caused to open. It will be noted that the
lock will only open when the preselected characteristic double
pulse, as shown in Figures 3(i) and 3(j), are received by the lock.
It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above,
among those made apparent from the preceding description, are
efficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the
above construction without departing from the scope of the invention, -
it is intended that all matter contained in the above description
or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as
illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
It is also to be understood that the following claims
are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features
¦ herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention
which, as a matter of language might be said to fall therebetween.
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